Imams demands Herzog invitation be withdrawn
Jewish leaders express disappointment after initial solidarity and sympathy to the Jewish community.
The Australian National Imams Council has called on the Albanese government to rescind its invitation for Israeli President Isaac Herzog to visit Australia, threatening to undermine the interfaith unity displayed after the Bondi Beach massacre.
Mr Herzog is scheduled to make a state visit to Australia early next year in solidarity with the victims of the December 14 terror attack that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration, and to meet with the affected Jewish community.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese last week said he had requested Governor-General Sam Mostyn invite Mr Herzog to Australia.
“Head of state to head of state is the appropriate protocol for the President to visit Australia in early 2026 to honour and remember victims of the Bondi antisemitic terrorist attack and provide support for Jewish Australians,” he said.
In a statement, ANIC said Mr Herzog was “implicated in widespread war crimes and breaches of international law” and should not be “afforded legitimacy in Australia”.
“The President is directly implicated in grave war crimes and acts of genocide against the Palestinian people, including the mass killing of civilians, the destruction of Gaza, and the expansion of illegal settlements,” the statement reads.
“While ANIC stands in solidarity with the Jewish community and mourns the victims of the horrific Bondi terrorist attack, accountability and justice must not be compromised. A person implicated in widespread war crimes and breaches of international law should not be welcomed or afforded legitimacy in Australia.”
Rabbinical Association of Australasia president Rabbi Nochum Schapiro told The Australian he was “quite surprised, disappointed” by ANIC’s position.
“Isaac Herzog is not even a political person now. He is the figurative head of the Jewish faith; and he’s not the one who controls the army – or controls anything in Israel – not that that should make a difference,” he said.
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said ANIC’s public opposition was a “call for division”.
“It’s so disappointing to hear calls for division just as Australians want this to be a time for unity,” he said.
“Australia has been attacked and its citizens have been slaughtered on the beach. Many countries, quite rightly, want to show their solidarity with us at this time. Let them.”
The demand stands in contrast to ANIC’s initial response to the Bondi massacre, when the organisation issued a statement saying it “extends our support and deepest sympathies to the Jewish community during this difficult time”.
“While this attack has targeted the Jewish community, it is in reality an attack on all of us, including the Muslim community,” ANIC said the day after the attack.
“Antisemitism, expressed through hate, harassment, and violence directed at the Jewish community, has no place in our society. We unequivocally reject these acts and reaffirm our shared responsibility to uphold respect, safety, and dignity for all communities in Australia.”
ANIC president Sheik Shady Alsuleiman appeared beside Prime Minister Albanese at an interfaith memorial service at St Mary’s Cathedral three days after the terror attack.
ANIC advisor Bilal Rauf was also photographed sharing an embrace with Rabbi Jeffrey Kamins during a vigil for the victims at Hyde Park, in a moment that became a symbol of interfaith unity.
In a separate statement, ANIC said Muslim communities were facing backlash following the Bondi Beach massacre.
“Muslim Australians have experienced a marked escalation in hostility and blame being directed toward them as a community, despite having no connection whatsoever to the actions of the lone attackers,” the statement said.
Nine mosques and Islamic centres have reported vandalism or serious security incidents requiring police involvement, the organisation said.
ANIC said it was “alarmed by the way divisive political rhetoric and irresponsible media commentary stigmatise Muslim communities, reinforce harmful stereotypes and create an environment in which racism and abuse are emboldened”.
“The sweeping and unjustified backlash directed at an entire community for the actions of two individuals is unacceptable and dangerous,” ANIC said.
The AJN has approached ANIC for comment.
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